Counting down the days

Less than two weeks to go before my daughter and I fly to D.C. to visit the family and friends. I haven't
even started packing yet, and I'm not looking forward to the process either. Just checked US Airways baggage policies and it looks like we'll be taking the large suitcase with both her and my clothes and shoes, my backpack for all the things we'll need at the airport and her diaper bag. The flight also leaves at six in the morning, which will be rough, for both my daughter and me. I am guessing we'll have to be there no later than four-thirty. I have been known to go to bed at that time, so I am envisioning a few energy drinks of some sort. I'd prefer Red Bull.
We'll be arriving in D.C. at nine-thirty, so we'll be just in time for morning rush hour(s). My father is coming to pick us up, thankfully. So I won't be trying to carry all the luggage on the Metro to meet him at the Vienna Metro Station (which would be easier for him, not for me - but, being a good daughter, I did offer to do it anyway, but he said it wouldn't be a problem navigating through the worst traffic in the country to come and get us. Good man, my father!)
I have been compiling a list of things that I would like to do while my daughter and I are on the visit. My mother has taken nearly a full week off work so she can watch the baby and give me time to myself. Six whole days to myself!? I can even imagine that much free time.
VNV Nation is playing at the Rams Head in Baltimore on March twelfth. I have seen them numerous times, and they always do a fun show. I have a few friends going there as well and it would be nice to see them. ...assuming I have had my hair fixed by then, because it looks terrible.
I was also thinking about doing a hiking trip or two to Great Falls, MD or Rocks State Park because everyone I have spoken to in the north has told me how beautiful the weather is. I'll also be away from the gym for nearly the whole month of March, so I had better find another way to exercise or I'll be in trouble.
I am going to try and get a bit of reading done as well. My vocabulary, as well as grammar, is terrible. I have spoken to other writing friends and we have theorized that it because I do not read enough anymore. I have to say that I agree. In the past year, I have not had much reading opportunities beyond assorted Dr. Seuss
books, Grimm's Fairy Tales and Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes (with one exception being the Hobbit, which as a nerdy mom, I was in a hurry to read that one in particular to my child)
I did just acquire this for her too.

This book started it all for me and I felt myself compelled to make sure that my daughter has one of her own. You see, I never had a copy of my own and this book was the source of a lot of library fines for me throughout my youth. There is a Norse Mythology companion book which is equally as beautifully illustrated and well-written. I shall acquire that too, in good time.

The Carnival is over

Mardi Gras has officially ended and I didn't have my camera for the last five days, so I'll be relying on other's peoples Mardi Gras pictures of the family, neighbors and friends doing the Saint Anne's parade and subsequent wanderings afterward around the French Quarter. The baby made it like a trooper through most of it, but by the walk back home, she was passed out cold in the stroller.
Lundi Gras was nice too, the family finally made it out to Washington Square in the Marigny to check out the playground. I am happy to report that the swing-set had a bucket seat swing that the baby could use. She was squealing with delight on both swing and slide (it is a big slide that her and her father could use together) and got upset when it was time to leave (another little girl was waiting patiently to use the swing behind us).
When we got back to the house, the Daddy Man stayed at home with the baby so my dear friend of twenty-two years and I could go out and see a parade and have a drink together. She had gotten injured on her bike on the way over, but she did not let that dampen her Carnival spirits and we went out and had a great time after my partner patched her up.
We were late to the parade and it had already passed Saint Roch, so we biked down to Buffa's Lounge on Esplanade and caught up with it there, and had some vodka cocktails. Afterwards, we opted to head back towards the neighborhood, with a stop at Marie's Bar for happy hour and their cheap vodka cocktails. I have no idea how many, but it was enough.
Then we came back to the house and I fried some pork chops, made some stuffing and a salad and
we feasted. It was a happy Carnival, to be sure.

The hair saga continues.

More washing, conditioning and breaking apart of the dreadlocks and I am almost a third of the way done with my head. That's pretty good for the first day of removal, right? My fingers are pretty sore though. I still have eighteen days to get them out before the trip to Virginia, Maryland and D.C., so I am not worried yet.
I'm also really not looking forward to cutting all my hair off either, but the stuff it so dead there is no saving it. I have no choice here! I actually have a long black wig if the hair has to get cut really short, haven't worn it for ages, but it may come in handy in the Mid-Atlantic climes. I leave New Orleans out because the heat and humidity here prohibit anyone from wearing wigs and hairpieces except in the dead middle of winter. ...and even then, it is unpleasant.

I was hoping to get by the gym tonight to see if I can do another 9-minute mile. Don't scoff, that's the best time I've ever had, even when I was a kid. I have become very fond of the elliptical machine, as it is a little more forgiving on the knees than the treadmill is. I hope to move up to the ten-pound hand weights soon, but the five-pound weights are still a lot of work, so I haven't done it yet. Abdominal exercises are the worst though. I hate sit-ups, but there is no machine to achieve what they do (Sadly!) or I'd be using it.
I have gone from 245 pounds to 195 in a year and gone from a size 24 (plus size xxxl) to a size 16W (plus size 1X). I'd like to be able to devote more time to workouts, but my full-time mom status makes it difficult. I hope it gets better as the baby gets older, because I sure would like some semblance of my body back.
I mean, it'll never be the same again, I know that. My midriff was stretch-marked beyond repair, not to mention it's been a year now after pregnancy and I still have the loose, hanging skin. I am not a wealthy woman by any stretch of the imagination and the thought of having corrective surgery is laughable. Diet and exercise are the only options I really have to correct this, and even then I have no guarantees that it'll be back like it was before. But if I could fit in a size 10 again, that would suit me just fine.


In other news, my daughter got a package from her great aunt today containing these...

I especially like the jacket. The outfit overall is nautical to me and tasteful. It'll go great with her black Vans shoes my dad got for her. Her great-aunt has got excellent style and taste and my daughter is lucky for it.

Tangled up in Hades

My hair has been troubling me for some time now. For a few years, I had been bleaching my hair out every couple of months to put bright colors in it. Then I got sick of all the work, particularly when I had the baby, and decided to go for something requiring a little less maintenance. So, I dyed it black. I figured I could buy the dye at the drugstore once a month and be done with it, instead of dropping $25 on two bleach kits and another $40 for two bottles of the good Paul Mitchell dyes (every color of the rainbow and long-lasting!). But, my hair was fried. Toasty fried. All it wanted to do was dreadlock, so eventually I got tired of fighting it and had my best friend section it out and let it lock away.
Sadly, the dreadlocks aren't working out. I can't abide not washing my hair and with every wash, the dreads have gotten lumpier and more uneven. It's time to move on. So, I have begun the lengthy process of breaking the dreadlocks apart and straightening the hair back out. It's going better than I thought it would.
I'm still going to need a decent amount of length taken off, as the hair is dead and a frizzy mess. I was thinking about doing something like this (keeping it black, of course!) for a cut..

                     http://www.marieclaire.com/hair-beauty/trends/wavy-hair-how-to-hairstyles


Not bad, although I may have to get some rollers to achieve that level of wave though. But, it's the most workable thing in terms of short that I have found so far. I hope it works out better than the dreadlocks did.

I am looking into getting new glasses too. I am thinking some black rimmed nerdy glasses are the way to go. It would be nice to see again. My partner had found a pair of Guess frames a while back that are the perfect style that I want, but not the right size. They are just slightly too small for my head. After I get the hair dealt with next month, I think I will go to Hour Eyes with my mother and best friend and see what we can find. Yes, you read that right. I am willing to take suggestions these days. Who knew?

Apples, as a shape?

I started learning about body shapes and how to appropriately dress one's figure. Since there is no difference between my chest size and waist size, I fall into the dreaded "apple" body shape. My legs are still decent, so I am thinking the best ways to go are interesting shoes, paired with dark skinny jeans or flares with v-neck drapy tunics and tanks. I found one halter top I really like on eBay, in red, no less. That comes as a surprise to me that I even like it, mostly because I NEVER WEAR RED. But, the top is red and black, so it balances out for me. I was also looking at some skinny jeans along with a black belted tunic top.

The pieces are a little more mature than what I would usually go for, but something has to change in my wardrobe. I am sick of my boobs hanging out of every shirt I own, for starters. Sadly, I am not a tiny, little size 5 anymore. ..and while I'm not giving up on the weight loss and gym trips, I think it unlikely that I'll be back to a teeny-tiny lady any time in the near future.

I'm actually okay with that. I think it's because I have more important things pressing at the present time. Like trying to get my daughter to speak with regularity. She's been doing okay thus far and says That, Dad/dy, Mom, Cat, Door and Light frequently. Mostly she likes to point at people and objects and exclaim "That!" Flashcards haven't seemed to work all that well for her either. She'd still rather eat them, it seems.

Happy Valentine's Day...right?

I find myself missing the hustle and bustle of the flower shop this year (last year I had a 10-day-old baby, so I was a little too busy to think about Valentine's Day). In fact, I find myself missing all aspects of my life when my partner and I were living in the D.C. area. In particular, I miss working at the flower shop.
I started working there the last week of August, 2001 and I came to love that shop, the family that owns it and my marvelous co-workers so quickly it was amazing. There had been an ad that had read 'Want to make art with cut flowers?', and it sounded so fun, that despite the fact that I didn't have a car at the time and it being a fifteen to twenty minute walk to the nearest Metro station, ten minute train ride and then another ten minute bus ride (only if I timed it right), I went to the interview anyway. I was interviewed by the shop manager at the time and the chief floral designer of the shop, the owners of the shop were away. They decided between the two of them to give me a couple of trial days to see if I'd work out. I had the job by the end of the first trial day, and my life was changed.
I worked there for almost nine years and learned so much. Started with register and phone, then to creating displays for merchandise and plant care, then handheld bouquets and lastly design basics. ..and I loved much too. I quickly found working there that everyone (except me) at the shop was a gourmet chef. There are always parties going on in that shop, be it birthdays, holidays, special events and even just becauses. Everyone would cook something awesome (except me, I'd try and bring beverages to make up for it - The girls never seemed to hold it against me, thankfully) and usually exotic, and you know me, I LOVE to try new things. First shepard's pie, there. First hummus, there. First pulled pork, there. I think you get the idea. My world was opened up so much being there. Not just in terms of food either. All sorts of things like art, design, fashion and trends were required knowledge on any given day working at the shop. I had finally found something to do that was beautiful, inspirational and that I loved!
...and speaking of inspiration and love, it was also the place I met one of my dearest friends, whom later became my partner and father of my daughter. It was a good nine years and I miss it terribly today. I wonder if they'd ever take me back if the family moved back up north? That would be a dream.
So, I think of the shop this Valentine's Day and give my best wishes. May they find some points during the day to laugh, drink a fancy coffee, have a piece of chocolate and produce their art and love it, if even for a moment in the madness. ..and know an old friend is thinking of them and sending a little love their way.

Playing catch-up..

It's been a minute since my last post, and I apologize. The great birthday weekend came and went great and I think my daughter had a pretty good time. She got some new toys (toy cellphone, Leap Frog musical maracas and a new Lalaloopsy doll), some new clothes from her great-grandparents, a bunch of fun DVD's from her grandparents, and plane tickets for her and I to come up to visit D.C., Maryland and Virginia in March from my dad. And there was cake...

She loved that so much she actually said the word and kept pointing to the table. All weekend long.

I have been giving thought to things that I'd like to do or see with Whitney while we are in the Mid-Atlantic region. I dare not make plans, because they never seem to work out when I do. But, I think it would be good to at least prioritize things a little better than I did on our last visit.
I guess the number one place I'd like us to visit is the D.C. Zoo. She loves animals, I love animals and unlike the Zoo here in New Orleans (which isn't cheap), the D.C. Zoo is free! Who knows, she might in enjoy the ride on the Metro to and from. I'll keep my fingers crossed on that.

Hello, The Rain..

Whitney and I awoke this morning to grey skies and light misty rain. Forecast says it's going to be rainy all weekend too. Ewww.
But, I'm not discouraged. Daddy Man was talking about visiting City Park this weekend and I think we should still try to go. Maybe we should just drive instead of taking the streetcar/walking. I'll take my camera, and a plastic bag.
In other news, I think we've finally found Whitney's favorite movie...

Interstella 5555, Daft Punk's instrumental anime movie. She tries to dance through nearly the whole thing. It's a pretty piece of anime goodness too. I'm sorry that it's been out for seven or so years and I hadn't seen it until now. I'm like that with a lot of movies though. People are constantly surprised that I haven't seen something considered by the general public to be an epic film. Like Titanic, for example. I have never watched it and likely never will. I know how it ends already. The boat sinks.

Meet..me!

My name is Azure. I'm 30 (although now closer to 31), have tattoos (9), body piercings (14), dye my hair unnaturally black and wear, at most times, unfashionable amounts of black. I love chocolate, champagne and music, think science is sexy and have a great love for the foreign and exotic.
I used to be quite the social creature until a couple of years ago, when I followed my boyfriend across the country and back, eventually settling in New Orleans. It has always been his ambition to build a boat. One large enough to live on. Finding a place for him to construct it has been a search that has spanned years, and lots of mileage on the car. Then, I got pregnant and the plan got put on hold. I joke sometimes and say there was something in the water here, because it was pretty amazing how fast we conceived once we moved to the "dirty South". It was either the water or the Bloody Marys. So, a difficult and laborous pregnancy later, we had a baby. He works, and I stay at home with her. There hasn't been much time for a social life in a while, and yet I have been craving it for a bit! Time to indulge, I guess?
I have been particularly inspired (and colored green with envy) by two girl friends of mine whom have both been blogging for a while and thus have beautiful pages that I read daily with enthusiasm. Were I half as interesting to read as either of them are, I'll be doing great.
So, I compiled a list, trying keep out as much of my pessimistic negativity as possible, of some of the good things about myself. Here's where I have gotten to thus far on my new journey of self-discovery: one- I am a trained florist. I went to school for design, for crying out loud. I have shop experience of a decade under my belt. I have worked in Arlington, Virginia and San Diego, California. two- I am a mother to a pretty, energetic little girl named Whitney. She's a year old (or, will be in two days, close enough!) and very excitable and clever, sometimes to a fault. She's awesome and I love her dearly. three- Despite my issues I have with him sometimes, I have a partner whom I adore. He's brilliant, attractive and a stellar father to our daughter. four- I once had a knack for writing, back in the days when I was able to devote more time to it and was in constant practice. I think I should get back into the practice of writing every day again, because I really did love it once and I think we should always make room in our lives for things we are passionate about. five- I once used to read as much as I wrote. I should really get back into the practice of doing that too. I found my vocabulary was better and I had more interesting things to talk about. Didn't write as many run-on sentences either.
So, there is my list for now. As my journey progresses, no doubt the list will get longer. I am happy about this and look forward to seeing how things turn out with this new writing venture.

*An update, in between finally getting the baby to take a nap and cleaning up the kitchen a little. I forgot to mention earlier my interest in theater. New Orleans is bursting at the seams with small, community theaters doing everything from stage plays to puppet shows to comedy acts. I feel it necessary to get in on some of this action. ...But, what's an already busy mom to do? Wonder if I can snag a small role or two and bring my kid with me to rehearsals? I wonder...
I am also thinking of cake. Not for me, of course, but for Whitney's birthday in two days. What kind of cake does one make for a one-year-old? Correction: What kind of cake does a mom on a pretty severe budget make for a one-year-old? There are only three of us that will be eating it, and food storage in our mini-fridge
is limited, at best. I have two tiny, square baking tins, so I'm thinking of using both. I'm sure she'd like chocolate cake, but the mess from that would be something else. Maybe I'll do that for her
second birthday.Vanilla cake would be a better mess to clean up. At least it's not going to stain. Cake query solved! ;)
So, to follow up the fattening paragraph, I give you the latest gym report. My weight loss seems to have stopped at 195. I am sad about this, as one day I should like very much to fit into my size 8 clothes again. But, I will make the best of it and continue to go to the gym as often as I can. I think it is also worth mentioning that since I started going to the gym I have gone from a size 24 (women's xxxl) to a size 16 (women's xl), and went from 245 leaving the hospital after the birth of my daughter to 195 for the
past few months. I'd like to get back to something like 140 or so and size 8-10. That would suit me just fine.
It also occurs to me that our very short winter in New Orleans is virtually gone and I need to hit the streets with Whitney to find us some shady, lush parks to visit before the weather gets any hotter. I think I will first start with Washington Square in the Marigny. It's a decent walk through a pretty neighborhood (albeit terrible sidewalks for baby strollers) and, last I looked, it was a pretty palm-lined walk, with a playground for kids. I hope they have the swings with the bucket seats so Whitney can play too! The walks
and parks should mean some more exercise for me, and perhaps some good photo-ops too. I have a camera, that I use seldomly because I am too lazy to pull the pictures off the memory card and
onto the laptop. Sounds pretty easy and straight-forward, right? Wrong! I somehow manage to mess it up every time. Shame on me for admitting defeat so easily, I should do better. I should do better, and I will.
The late afternoon sun is shining in through the door windows and hitting me right in the face, reminding me that I have not cleaned the kitchen as I had set out to do. I must run...